English version below
Piše: Veran Matić
Savet REM bira Upravne odbore javnih medijskih servisa. Upravni odbori RTS-a i RTV-a biraju Programske savete, imenuju i razrešavaju generalne direktore Radio-televizije Srbije, glavne i odgovorne urednike i direktore programa. U Savetu REM-a je koncentrisana ogromna moć i jedina koja po zakonu može da utiče na regulisanje medijskog haosa u etru. Do sada, Savet REM-a ne da nije koristio ta ovlašćenja, već je upravo obrnuto, svojim nereagovanjem i amnestiranjem prekršaja, doprineo da se medijske siledžije osećaju potpuno zaštićeno od strane ovog i ovakvog regulatora.
Evropska komisija od Srbije traži izbor novih članova Saveta REM-a pošto je prethodnom sazivu mandat istekao pre pola godine.
Studenti kažu da je njihov uslov za povlačenje blokade RTS – raspisivanje konkursa za izbor članova Saveta Regulatornog tela za elektronske medije, ili ukidanje javnog servisa Radio-televizije Srbije. Logično je što je zahtev povezan sa sudbinom RTS-a zbog toga što je javni medijski servis, putem obavezne takse koju plaćaju građani ove zemlje, stekao nezavisnost od izvršne i svake druge vlasti i uticaja. Ove dve institucije, koje treba da garantuju stabilnost, objektivnost i pluralitet u informisanju svih građana, zaštićene su kao „beli medvedi“ od svih uticaja - po osnovu zakona i u praksi putem finansiranja koje im obezbeđuje nezavisnost. Zbog toga im isključivo ostaje samo da dosledno poštuju zakone koji jasno propisuju njihove uloge, ovlašćenja i obaveze.
Žao mi je što samo studenti, uz podršku građana, insistiraju na izboru za Savet REM-a. Nije pravedno i nije dovoljno, upravo zbog onoga što sledi kao mogućnost.
Šta bi se dogodilo ako bi nadležni skupštinski Odbor za kulturu i informisanje okončao nezavršeni konkurs i ponovo raspisao Javni poziv za izbor članova Saveta REM?
Ko bi se na taj konkurs javio? Isti oni koji su se već javljali: pregršt organizacija koje po zakonu nemaju pravo da nominuju kandidate, organizacije koje imaju nominalno pravo, ili su marifetlucima formalno ispunili pravo iako suštinski ne postoje. Da li bi ponovo bili predloženi isti ili slični kandidati koji ne ispunjavaju uslove ali su spremni da na različite načine bespogovorno podržavaju aktuelnu vlast koja zapravo stoji iza njihove kandidature?
Da li bi se u tom procesu pojavili oni kandidati koji su se časno povukli iz nezakonitog procesa koji se završio fijaskom? Siguran sam da većina njih iz različitih razloga neće biti voljna ponovo da učestvuje. Pre samo par meseci oni su ušli u proces otvorenog srca i sa najboljim namerama vezanim za javni interes. Doživeli su da budu preglasani i eliminisani ili su ostali u procesu da se nadmeću sa nadmoćnom grupom nekompetentnih kandidata i njihovih predlagača koji suštinski ne ispunjavaju uslove da uopšte budu predlagači.
Čak i da se ponovo kandiduju, desilo bi im se isto. Ili još gore. Biće provlačeni kroz tabloidno blato, bez ikakvih izgleda da budu izabrani. Jednostavno, oni koji non-stop krše zakone što bi Savet REM trebao da sankcioniše, jednostavno neće dozvoliti nijednog kandidata koji bi dosledno zastupao misiju REM-a i sprovodio Zakon o elektronskim medijima.
Zamislimo i scenario po kojem bi vlast dopustila izbor dva istinski nezavisna eksperta. Nažalost, ni takav saziv novog Saveta REM ne može da načini neki napredak. Tri, četiri ili pet nespornih eksperata od ukupno devet u Savetu Regulatora ne donosi promenu.
Srbiji je potreban nezavisni Savet REM, sa profesionalnim i časnim ekspertima. Treba nam Savet koji će se hrabro suočiti sa nasleđem kojim je formirana jedna od najgorih medijskih scena u Evropi danas, u kojoj apsolutno preovladava tabloidni pristup, uz javni servis koji je napustio svoju ulogu i time stvorio prostor da lažne vesti, targetiranja svih, naročito drugačije mislećih, kršenja kodeksa i zakona, bude oslobođeno bilo kakve odgovornosti.
Znam da ima takvih, koji bi zasukali rukave, rizikovali, i vidim i osećam tu energiju i nadu, koji izviru iz studentskih protesta. Kako njihov napor i žrtva ne bi bili izigrani, važno je upozoriti da je neophodno da se proces izbora za članove Saveta REM sprovodi na osnovu doslednog poštovanje Zakona o elektronskim medijima. I da taj zahtev o doslednom poštovanju zakona prate nedvosmislene mere i akcije koje će uslediti od strane studenata u slučaju izigravanja procesa koji bi zaličio na ono što se dešava sa izborom za Savet REM koji još uvek nije formalno okončan.
Profili novoizabranih ministara informisanja i telekomunikacije i prosvete, upućuju na sasvim drugačiji scenario - onaj represivni i nasilni. Retorika vlasti je preteća i diskreditujuća što uz retoriku tabloidinih medija poprima dramatične razmere.
Zbog toga je veoma važno da unapred budu potpuno jasne činjenice i implikacije svakog narednog poteza.
Više je nego jasno da je krivična prijava protiv rektora Univerziteta poslužila kao pretnja, pokušaj ponižavanja rektora, rektorskog kolegijuma, proširenog rektorskog kolegijuma i celog univerziteta i svakog fakulteta u Srbiji koji je u blokadama. Jasno je da ne postoje elementi zloupotrebe službenog položaja, već se zloupotrebljavaju tužilaštvo i policija kako bi se načinili prilozi za TV Informer i druge tabloidne i provladine medije. Takvim pristupom se stvoraju prilike za iživljavanje nad rektorom i akademskom zajednicom i za potpuno nekažnjivo kršenju zakona i kodeksa. Nepostojanje krivičnog dela se koriste kako bi se kroz tabloide plasirao nedopustiv narativ koji uz brojne neistine i optužbe nagoveštavaju šta će se dogoditi sa univerzitetima i akademskom zajednicom. I šta sve može da se dogodi u slučaju da se u svim segmentima društvo ne pokrene na otpor. Zato je neophodno da političke stranke, organizacije civilnog društva i građani Srbije aktivno (a na samo deklarativno) podrže napore i akcije studenata.
Studenti su svojim jednostavnim zahtevima uspeli da potpuno demistifikuju vlast koja je poslednjih godina bukvalno metastazirala. Da iskoristim reči nekoga koga jako cenim, studenti su doprineli da „nešto što je do juče bilo nadmoćno u gotovo svemu, postaje nemoćno. Čujem kako sve ono što je do juče bilo nadmoćno svakom pokušaju osporavanja, kritike i razobličavanja postaje nemoćno. Potrošeno. Nedelotvorno. Golo. I meni se čini da sve što učini i kaže, pretvara se u snagu tog društvenog pokreta kćeri i sinova Srbije.“
Studentski protesti čine da se menja stereotip o Srbiji kao uzroku svih zala na Balkanu. To je neverovatan podvig koji se odvija i kroz samožrtvovanje studenata, sa njihovim autentičnim idejama koje osvajaju region, Evropu i svet. I to je ključ. Pokazujući inicijativu, inovativnost i univerzalne zahteve, Srbija nije više samo svet već Srbija i menja svet. Novi Pazar je svet, ali studentkinje i studenti Novog Pazara i Srbije, menjaju svet.
Kaže mi prijatelj: „Ovdašnje medijsko praćenje izlazi iz tipično nacionalističke percepcije Srbije. Po prvi put se počinje razumevati njena politička snaga izvan ratno-nacionalističkog kalupa. Po prvi put, to ne dolazi od političkog mejnstrima već na osnovu vlastitih doživljaja i sagledavanja. Po prvi put se ovde, kao nekad, prepoznaje srpski slobodarski piemontizam. Ti koji prepoznaju su manjina, ali toga nije bilo, jer je zaboravljeno.“
I dodajem važnu poruku, ne samo za nas u Srbiji: „Bila bi kobna greška da se na tu snagu (studentski i građanski protest) reaguje bilo kojom silom. Nama ovde, a verujem i svim Srbima koji živimo izvan Srbije, veoma je stalo da se njena nova snaga ne pretvara u silu, već u demokratsku društvenu moć. Znam da to zavisi samo od jednog čoveka. Želim da verujem da i on to zna i da će sprečiti da se to dogodi. Zbog Srbije i zbog sebe, jer nama Srbima ne treba još jedna trauma. Ionako su se sve naše traume slile u Srbiju.“
Ponekad se bolje vidi iz vana, od strane iskrenih patriota. Iako izgleda da je pitanje izbora Saveta REM-a mnogo manje bitno od važnih reči iz citata, to je onaj trenutak preokreta: da li će Srbija krenuti u pravcu „srpskog slobodarskog piemontizma“ ili će se opredeliti za mrak devedesetih, čiju cenu skupo plaćamo. Građani Srbije nepogrešivo su odabrali ovo prvo, jer uspe li ovaj proces koji su inicirali studenti, kaže moj prijatelj: „Srbija bi mogla da povrati unutrašnju demokratsku snagu kakvu nije imala desetlećima, pa na njoj da obnovi svoju međunarodnu relevantnost, kakvu nije imala više od sto godina.“
Da bi se ovo dogodilo, trebalo bi da pomogne svako kome je stalo do Srbije. Naročito oni koji imaju odgovornost za vođenje Srbije. Ako to ne misle i ne žele, javili su se oni koji hoće i mogu.
Election of an independent REM Council, a prerequisite for the independence of the state public broadcaster and democracy in Serbia
Author: Veran Matić
The Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) is important as a legally established independent body, with the aim of regulating the field of electronic media. The REM Council grants licenses for broadcasting programs and should sanction anyone who, in violation of the Law on Electronic Media, does not fulfill the promises made in the program elaborations on the basis of which the license was obtained. The REM Council should sanction hate speech, lies, persecution... In a word, the REM Council should be a dam that will prevent and stop the tabloid war against the public interest and the citizens of Serbia.
The REM Council elects the Boards of Directors of public media broadcasters. The Boards of Directors of RTS and RTV elect the Program Councils, appoint and dismiss the general directors of Radio Television of Serbia, editors-in-chief and responsible, and program directors. The REM Council has concentrated enormous power and presents the only body that can legally influence the regulation of media chaos on the airwaves. So far, the REM Council has not used these powers, but rather, by its inaction and amnesty for violations, has contributed to media bullies feeling completely protected by this regulator.
The European Commission is asking Serbia to elect new members of the REM Council, as the previous term expired six months ago.
The students say that their condition for lifting the blockade of RTS is to announce a competition for the election of members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media, or to abolish the public service broadcaster Radio and Television of Serbia. It is logical that the request is linked to the fate of RTS because the public media broadcaster, through a mandatory fee paid by the citizens of this country, has gained independence from the executive and any other authority and influence. These two institutions, which should guarantee stability, objectivity and plurality in informing all citizens, are protected like "polar bears" from all influences - on the basis of the law and in practice through funding that ensures their independence. Therefore, it remains only to consistently comply with the laws that clearly prescribe their roles, powers and obligations.
I am sorry that only students, with the support of citizens, insist on REM members being elected to the REM Council. It is not fair and it is not enough, precisely because of what follows as a possibility.
What would happen if the competent parliamentary Committee for Culture and Information were to end the unfinished competition and re-announce the Public Call for the selection of members of the REM Council?
Who would apply for that competition? The same ones who have already applied: a handful of organizations that do not have the right to nominate candidates by law, organizations that have a nominal right, or have formally fulfilled the right through gimmicks, although they do not essentially exist. Would the same or similar candidates who do not meet the requirements, but are ready to unquestioningly support the current government that is actually behind their candidacy, be proposed again?
Would those candidates who honorably withdrew from the illegal process that ended in a fiasco appear in that process? I am sure that most of them, for various reasons, will not be willing to participate again. Just a few months ago, they entered the process with an open heart and with the best titles related to the public interest. They experienced being outvoted and eliminated or were left in the process competing with an overwhelming group of incompetent candidates and their proposers who essentially do not meet the conditions to be proposers at all.
Even if they ran again, the same thing would happen to them. Or worse. They would be dragged through the tabloid mud, with no chance of getting elected. Simply put, those who constantly violate the laws, which the REM Council should sanction, simply will not allow any candidate who would consistently represent the REM mission and implement the Law on Electronic Media.
Let's also imagine a scenario in which the government would allow the election of two truly independent experts. Unfortunately, even such a convocation of the new REM Council cannot make any progress. Three, four or five undisputed experts out of a total of nine in the Regulatory Council does not bring about change.
Serbia needs an independent REM Council, with professional and honest experts. We need a Council that will courageously confront the legacy that has formed one of the worst media scenes in Europe today, in which the tabloid approach absolutely prevails, with a public broadcaster abandoning its role and time has created a space for fake news, targeting of everyone, especially those who think differently, violations of codes and laws, to be absolved of any responsibility.
I know that there are those who would roll up their sleeves, take risks, and I see and feel that energy and hope that emanates from student protests. In order for their efforts and sacrifices not to be wasted, it is important to warn that it is necessary that the election process for members of the REM Council be conducted on the basis of consistent compliance with the Law on Electronic Media. And that this demand for consistent compliance with the law be accompanied by unambiguous measures and actions that will follow from the students in the event of a process of cheating that would resemble what is happening with the election for the REM Council, which has not yet been formally completed.
The profiles of the newly elected minister of information and telecommunications and minister of education point to a completely different scenario - one of repression and violence. The rhetoric of the authorities is threatening and discrediting, which, combined with the rhetoric of the tabloid media, takes on dramatic proportions.
That is why it is very important to be completely clear in advance about the facts and implications of each next move.
It is more than clear that the criminal complaint against the rector of the University served as a threat, an attempt to humiliate the rector, the rector's collegium, the extended rector's collegium and the entire university and every faculty in Serbia that is in lockout. It is clear that there are no elements of abuse of official position, but rather the prosecution and police are being abused in order to make reports for TV Informer and other tabloid and pro-government media. Such an approach creates opportunities for the rector and the academic community to be abused and for a complete violation of the law and code of conduct. The absence of a criminal offense is being used to place an unacceptable narrative through the tabloid which, along with numerous untruths and accusations, hint at what will happen to universities and the academic community. And what can happen if society in all segments does not rise to resistance. Therefore, it is necessary for political parties, civil society organizations, and citizens of Serbia to actively (and not only self-declaratively) support the efforts and actions of students.
With their simple demands, the students managed to completely demystify the government, which has literally metastasized in recent years. Let me quote the words of someone I greatly respect, the students contributed to “something that was superior in almost everything yesterday, becoming powerless. I hear how everything that was superior to every attempt to challenge, criticize and expose until yesterday, becomes powerless. Spent. Ineffective. Bare. And it seems to me that everything that has been done and said turns into the strength of that social movement of the daughters and sons of Serbia“.
Student protests are changing the stereotype of Serbia as the cause of all evil in the Balkans. It is an incredible feat that is also taking place through the self-sacrifice of students, with their authentic ideas that are conquering the region, Europe and the world. And that is the key. By showing initiative, innovation and universal demands, Serbia is no longer just the world, but Serbia is also changing the world. Novi Pazar is the world, but the students of Novi Pazar and Serbia are changing the world.
A friend tells me: “The media coverage here is emerging from a typically nationalistic perception of Serbia. For the first time, its political strength is beginning to be understood outside the war-nationalist narrative. For the first time, this does not come from the political mainstream, but based on one's own experiences and observations. For the first time, here, as in the past, Serbian libertarian Piedmontism is being recognized. Those who recognize it present a minority, but that was not the case, because it was forgotten”.
And I add an important message, not only for us in Serbia: “It would be a fatal mistake to react to that force (student and civic protest) with any force. We here, and I believe all Serbs living outside Serbia, care very much that its new strength does not turn into force, but into democratic social power. I know that it depends on only one person. I want to believe that he knows this too and will prevent it from happening. For our own sake, because we Serbs do not need another trauma. All our traumas have flowed into Serbia anyway”.
Sometimes it is better seen from the outside, by sincere patriots. Although the issue of electing the REM Council seems to be much less important than the important words in the quote, it is that moment of turning point: will Serbia move in the direction of “Serbian libertarian Piedmontism” or will it opt for the darkness of the 1990s, the price of which we are all paying. The citizens of Serbia have unmistakably chosen the former, because this process initiated by students has succeeded, says my friend: “Serbia could regain an internal democratic strength that it has not had for decades, and based on it, renew its international relevance, which it has not had for more than a hundred years.”
In order for this to happen, everyone who cares about Serbia should help. Especially those who have the responsibility for leading Serbia. If they don't think so and don't want to, those who want and can do it have come forward.